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US: Apple CEO Tim Cook marches in San Francisco Pride parade

  • Jun 30 2014
  • Written by Nick Duffy
Illustrated rainbow pride flag on a white background.

Apple CEO Tim Cook marched in the San Francisco Pride parade yesterday.

Last week, a CNBC host was criticized after appearing to ‘out’ Cook on news discussion show Squawk on the Street.

The CEO – who succeeded Steve Jobs as head of the tech firm – marched with an estimated 5000 members of the company’s LGBT group, wearing an #ApplePride t-shirt and posing for pictures with several colleagues.

He later tweeted: “Congrats to 5000 Apple employees/families who attended today’s Pride parade. Inclusion inspires innovation.”

The celebration – the 44th Annual San Francisco Pride Parade – was held on the same day as several others around the US, including parades in New York, Chicago, and Seattle, and the WorldPride Parade in Toronto, Canada.

During a panel discussion about openly gay business leaders last week, CNBC co-anchor Simon Hobbs had asked: “I think Tim Cook is fairly open about the fact he’s gay at the head of Apple, isn’t he?”

The entire panel were stunned into silence, before Hobbs continued: “Oh dear, was that an error? I thought not.”

Despite never publicly addressing his sexuality until now, Cook topped Out Magazine’s power list three years in a row between 2011 and 2013.

He came second on this year’s list, edged out by TV host Ellen DeGeneres.

Watch the CNBC clip below:

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